2015 HYUNDAI TUCSON Owners Manual

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Driving your vehicle
5
If you decide to pull a trailer?
Here are some important points if
you decide to pull a trailer:
Consider using a sway control. Youcan ask a trailer hitch dealer about
sway control.
Do not do any towing with your vehicle during its first 1,200 miles
(2,000 km) in order to allow the
engine to properly break in. Failure
to heed this caution may result in
serious engine or transaxle dam-
age.
When towing a trailer, be sure to consult an authorized HYUNDAI
dealer for further information onadditional requirements such as a
towing kit, etc.
Always drive your vehicle at a mod- erate speed (less than 60 mph
(100 km/h)) or posted towingspeed limit.
On a long uphill grade, do not exceed 45 mph (70 km/h) or the
posted towing speed limit,
whichever is lower.
Carefully observe the weight and load limits provided in the following
pages.
Total trailer weight
What is the maximum safe weight of
a trailer? It should never weigh more
than the maximum trailer weight with
trailer brakes. But even that can be
too heavy. It depends on how you
plan to use your trailer. For example,
speed, altitude, road grades, outside
temperature and how often your
vehicle is used to pull a trailer are all
important. The ideal trailer weight
can also depend on any special
equipment that you have on your
vehicle.
Tongue load
The tongue load is an important
weight to measure because it affects
the total Gross Vehicle Weight
(GVW) of your vehicle. The trailer
tongue should weigh a maximum of
10% of the total loaded trailer weight,
within the limits of the maximum trail-
er tongue load permissible.
After you've loaded your trailer,
weigh the trailer and then the tongue,
separately, to see if the weights are
proper. If they aren’t, you may be
able to correct them simply by mov-
ing some items around in the trailer.
OLMB053047
Tongue Load Total Trailer Weight
OLMB053048
Gross Axle WeightGross Vehicle Weight

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Driving your vehicle
Reference weight when towing a trailer
Take the following precautions:
Never load a trailer with more weight in the rear than in the
front. The front should be
loaded with approximately60% of the total trailer load;the rear should be loaded with
approximately 40% of the totaltrailer load.
Never exceed the maximum weight limits of the trailer or
trailer towing equipment.
Improper loading can result in
damage to your vehicle and/or
personal injury. Checkweights and loading at a com-
mercial scale or highway
patrol office equipped withscales.
WARNING
ItemIbs. (kg)
Maximum trailer weight
Without brake System 1000 (454)
With brake System 2000 (907)
Maximum permissible static
vertical load on the coupling device (Tongue weight) 200 (91)

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Driving your vehicle
5
Trailer towing equipment
Hitches
It's important to have the correct
hitch equipment. Crosswinds, large
trucks going by, and rough roads are
a few reasons why you’ll need the
right hitch. Here are some rules to
follow:
Do you have to make any holes inthe body of your vehicle when you
install a trailer hitch? If you do, thenbe sure to seal the holes later
when you remove the hitch. If you
don’t seal them, carbon monoxide
(CO) from your exhaust can get
into your vehicle, as well as dirt
and water.
The bumpers on your vehicle are not intended for hitches. Do notattach rental hitches or other
bumper-type hitches to them. Use
only a frame-mounted hitch that
does not attach to the bumper.
A HYUNDAI trailer hitch accessory is available at an authorized
HYUNDAI dealer.
Safety chains
You should always attach chains
between your vehicle and your trail-
er. Cross the safety chains under the
tongue of the trailer so that thetongue will not drop to the road if it
becomes separated from the hitch.
Instructions about safety chains may
be provided by the hitch manufactur-
er or trailer manufacturer. Follow the
manufacturer’s recommendation for
attaching safety chains. Always leave
just enough slack so you can turn
with your trailer. And, never allow
safety chains to drag on the ground.
Trailer brakes
If your trailer is equipped with a brak-
ing system, make sure it conforms to
federal and/or local regulations and
that it is properly installed and oper-
ating correctly.
If your trailer weighs more than the
maximum trailer weight without trail-
er brakes loaded, then it needs its
own brakes and they must be ade-
quate. Be sure to read and follow the
instructions for the trailer brakes so
you’ll be able to install, adjust and
maintain them properly. Be sure not
to tap into your vehicle's brake sys-tem.
Do not use a trailer with its own
brakes unless you are absolute-
ly certain that you have proper-
ly set up the brake system. Use
an experienced, competent
trailer shop for this work.
WARNING

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Driving your vehicle
Driving with a trailer
Towing a trailer requires a certain
amount of experience. Before setting
out for the open road, you must get
to know your trailer. Acquaint your-
self with the feel of handling and
braking with the added weight of the
trailer. And always keep in mind that
the vehicle you are driving is now
longer and not nearly as responsive
as your vehicle is by itself.
Before you start, check the trailer
hitch and platform, safety chains,
electrical connector(s), lights, tires
and brakes.
During your trip, occasionally check
to be sure that the load is secure,
and that the lights and trailer brakes
are still working.
Distance
Stay at least twice as far behind the
vehicle ahead as you would when
driving your vehicle without a trailer.
This can help you avoid situations
that require heavy braking and sud-
den turns.
Passing
You will need more passing distance
up ahead when you’re towing a trail-
er. And, because of the increased
vehicle length, you’ll need to go
much farther beyond the passed
vehicle before you can return to your
lane.
Backing up
Hold the bottom of the steering
wheel with one hand. Then, to move
the trailer to the left, move your hand
to the left. To move the trailer to the
right, move your hand to the right.
Always back up slowly and, if possi-
ble, have someone guide you.
Making turns
When you’re turning with a trailer,
make wider turns than normal. Do
this so your trailer won’t strike soft
shoulders, curbs, road signs, trees,
or other objects. Avoid jerky or sud-
den maneuvers. Signal well in
advance.

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Driving your vehicle
5
Turn signals
When you tow a trailer, your vehicle
has to have a different turn signal
flasher and extra wiring. The green
arrows on your instrument panel will
flash whenever you signal a turn or
lane change. Properly connected,
the trailer lights will also flash to alert
other drivers you’re about to turn,
change lanes, or stop.
When towing a trailer, the green
arrows on your instrument panel will
flash for turns even if the bulbs on
the trailer are burned out. Thus, you
may think drivers behind you are
seeing your signals when, in fact,
they are not. It’s important to check
occasionally to be sure the trailer
bulbs are still working. You must also
check the lights every time you dis-connect and then reconnect the
wires.
Driving on hills
Reduce speed and shift to a lower
gear before you start down a long or
steep downgrade. If you don’t shift
down, you might have to use your
brakes so much that they would get
overheated and may not operate effi-
ciently.
On a long uphill grade, shift down
and reduce your speed to around 45mph (70 km/h) to reduce the possi-
bility of engine and transaxle over-heating.
If your trailer weighs more than the
maximum trailer weight without trail-
er brakes and you have an automat-
ic transaxle , you should drive in D
(Drive) when towing a trailer.
Operating your vehicle in D (Drive)
when towing a trailer will minimize
heat build-up and extend the life of
your transaxle .
Do not connect a trailer lighting
system directly to your vehi-
cle’s lighting system. Use an
approved trailer wiring harness.
Failure to do so could result in
damage to the vehicle electrical
system and/or personal injury.
Consult an authorized
HYUNDAI dealer for assistance.WARNING

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Driving your vehicle
Parking on hills
Generally, if you have a trailer
attached to your vehicle, you should
not park your vehicle on a hill.
However, if you ever have to park your
trailer on a hill, here's how to do it:
1.Pull the vehicle into the parkingspace.
Turn the steering wheel in the
direction of the curb (right if head-
ed down hill, left if headed up hill).
2.Shift the vehicle to P (Park).
3.Set the parking brake and shut off the vehicle.
4.Place wheel chocks under the trail- er wheels on the down hill side of
the wheels. 5.Start the vehicle, hold the brakes,
shift to neutral, release the parking
brake and slowly release the
brakes until the trailer chocksabsorb the load.
6.Reapply the brakes and parking brakes.
7.Move the shift lever to P (Park, for automatic transaxle vehicle) or 1st
gear when the vehicle is parked on
a uphill grade and in R (Reverse)
on a downhill (for manual transaxle
vehicle).
8.Shut off the vehicle and release the vehicle brakes but leave the park-
ing brake set.
To prevent engine and/or
transaxle overheating:
When towing a trailer on steep
grades (in excess of 6%) pay
close attention to the engine
coolant temperature gauge toensure the engine does not
overheat. If the needle of the
coolant temperature gauge
moves towards “H” (HOT), pull
over and stop as soon as it is
safe to do so, and allow theengine to idle until it cools
down. You may proceed oncethe engine has cooled suffi-
ciently.
You must decide your vehicle
speed according to the trailer
weight and uphill grade.
CAUTION
Do not get out of the vehicle
without the parking brake firmly
set. If you have left the engine
running, the vehicle can move
suddenly. You and others could
be seriously or fatally injured.
WARNING

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Driving your vehicle
5
Ready to leave after parking ona hill
1.With the shift lever to P (Park, for automatic transaxle vehicle) or
neutral (for manual transaxle vehi-
cle), apply your brakes and hold
the brake pedal down while you:

and

2.Slowly remove your foot from the brake pedal.
3.Drive slowly until the trailer is clear of the chocks.
4.Stop and have someone pick up and store the chocks.
Maintenance when trailer tow- ing
Your vehicle will need service more
often when you regularly pull a trail-
er. Important items to pay particularattention to include engine oil, auto-
matic transaxle fluid, axle lubricant
and cooling system fluid. Brake con-
dition is another important item to
frequently check. If you’re trailering,
it’s a good idea to review these items
before you start your trip. Don’t forget
to also maintain your trailer and
hitch. Follow the maintenance sched-
ule that accompanied your trailer and
check it periodically. Preferably, con-
duct the check at the start of each
day’s driving. Most importantly, all
hitch nuts and bolts should be tight. To prevent vehicle damage:
Due to higher load during
trailer usage, overheating
might occur on hot days or
during uphill driving. If the
coolant gauge indicates over-
heating, switch off the air con-
ditioner and stop the vehicle
in a safe area to cool down the
engine.
When towing check automatic
transaxle fluid more frequently.
CAUTION

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Driving your vehicle
Two labels on your driver’s door sill
show how much weight your vehicle
was designed to carry: the Tire and
Loading Information Label and the
Certification Label.
Before loading your vehicle, familiar-
ize yourself with the following terms
for determining your vehicle's weight
ratings, from the vehicle's specifica-
tions and the Certification Label:
Base Curb Weight
This is the weight of the vehicle including a full tank of fuel and all
standard equipment. It does not
include passengers, cargo, or option-al equipment.
Vehicle Curb Weight
This is the weight of your new vehicle
when you picked it up from your deal-
er plus any aftermarket equipment.Cargo Weight
This figure includes all weight added
to the Base Curb Weight, includingcargo and optional equipment.
GAW (Gross Axle Weight)
This is the total weight placed on each axle (front and rear) - including
vehicle curb weight and all payload.
GAWR (Gross Axle Weight Rating)
This is the maximum allowable
weight that can be carried by a single
axle (front or rear). These numbers
are shown on the Certification Label.
The total load on each axle must
never exceed its GAWR.
GVW (Gross Vehicle Weight)
This is the Base Curb Weight plus
actual Cargo Weight plus passen-
gers.
GVWR (Gross Vehicle Weight Rating)
This is the maximum allowable
weight of the fully loaded vehicle
(including all options, equipment,
passengers and cargo). The GVWR
is shown on the Certification Label
located on the driver’s door sill.
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